Pope Leo XIV's Argentina Trip: Survivors Demand Action on Abuse Cases

Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to travel to Argentina in November, a trip that has intensified calls from victims' groups for the Vatican to enforce stricter discipline against clergy convicted of sexual abuse and other crimes.

The visit, originally planned for Nov. 8-11, has divided the survivor community. Some individuals hope to meet the pope directly to share their accounts, while others oppose the trip, arguing that the Church has not fulfilled its promise of zero tolerance for abuse.

A central point of contention is the silence of the Vatican regarding canonical proceedings for priests already sentenced by criminal courts. Survivors are demanding that these clerics be defrocked, which is the Church's most severe form of punishment.

In Córdoba province, the pope is expected to visit a cathedral where priest Alejandro Nicola is facing allegations of sexually abusing children at a Catholic school kindergarten, primarily in 2025. More than a dozen families have filed complaints, and prosecutors are currently investigating the claims while the local church conducts a preliminary inquiry.

Families were angered when Nicola was seen celebrating Mass at the cathedral in July despite the active allegations. Florencia Navarro and Fernanda Agüero, whose daughters they say were abused by Nicola, criticized local church authorities. Navarro said she wants the pope to provide explanations, noting that the Church frequently speaks about protecting the vulnerable.

Archbishop Ángel Rossi of Córdoba invoked the presumption of innocence when asked about Nicola's case. Nicola has not publicly addressed the accusations, stating only that his lawyers will handle the matter.

In Buenos Aires, a group of 43 women alleging human trafficking and forced labor at Opus Dei centers seeks a meeting with the pope. Their lawyer, Sebastián Sal, has requested that Fernando Ocáriz, the global leader of the conservative Catholic organization, also face charges. The women claim they were recruited as teenagers and forced to work long hours as domestic servants without pay between the 1970s and 2015.

Opus Dei authorities in Argentina have denied the allegations, which could result in prison sentences for the accused. Andrea Martínez, 52, who joined an Opus Dei center as a teenager, said the organization stole her dignity. Another complainant, Rosana Vaccon, stated she was isolated from her family and unaware of her father's serious illness.

Other high-profile cases remain unresolved. Christian Von Wernich, a former police chaplain, was sentenced to life in prison in 2007 for his role in seven murders during the military dictatorship. Despite a church investigation announced that year, no canonical sanction has been made public. Julio Grassi, who is serving a 15-year sentence for abusing a minor, has had his clerical status left undetermined despite a formal report from the Diocese of Morón.

Former Bishop Gustavo Zanchetta was sentenced in 2022 to four and a half years in prison for abusing two seminarians and was granted parole in 2025. The Vatican has not announced a ruling on his case, despite a canonical criminal proceeding authorized in 2019. The Vatican did not respond to requests for comment on the canonical status of these convicted clergy.